As the world burns…

For the moment, I’m sitting next to Celeste on a dust-covered couch - one of many in this covered pavilion at the center of Black Rock City, Nevada. Lots of whimsy,  nonsense, dust storms, and the American Dream are alive and well here in this god-forsaken desert. Somehow I found wi-fi access and am taking this brief moment to let you know that our gang is healthy and having fun, and we’ll be back to Maryland faster than you can sing a commercial jingle.

A little while ago, on the walk here, we heard someone reading Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas over a P.A., for anyone within earshot to enjoy. Tonight, we’re going hippie fishing. If you’ve never heard of it, just know that it involves fishing line, a glowstick, and confused ravers in the dark.

Live in Reno, Nevada

I found myself in a hotel bed in Reno this morning, only slightly hung over, and a mere $50 in the red.  That included $20 dropped on black for one spin of the roulette wheel - it landed on red. Today is the day we run around the city gathering supplies (food, water, etc) and preparing for the final three-hour trek to Black Rock City, Nevada. We’re going to rent a second car; there’s absolutely no way we could fit all the gear into my Prius after picking up our fifth camp-mate (and her rediculously oversized suitcase) at the airport yesterday.

The drive across North America to get here was beautiful, as usual. I’d post pictures now, but we’re in a bit of a rush to get checked out of the hotel. More to come! I’m optimistic about finding wifi internet access on the playa.

The Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseid meteor shower is near its maximum right now, and stargazers with a good view of the night sky and low light pollution may see meteors as frequently as once per minute! Really, the maximum was a couple days ago, but there should still be activity from this shower up until August 24.  I’ll be out with my binoculars tonight, weather permitting.  I have been busy lately and haven’t blogged much… next Wednesday, though, I’m leaving for my vacation to Burning Man in Black Rock City, Nevada. I hope to post some updates from the road whenever I can find WiFi hotspots, so stay tuned! I also may get around to writing something later today or this weekend. Good luck stargazing - leave a comment if you saw a Perseid meteor!